Years ago, my first visit to Mecca and Medina represented a pure spiritual experience, filled with a feeling of tranquility, but it was surrounded by the challenges that the visitor faces, such as crowding, lengthy procedures, and difficulty of transportation.
Today, in light of the modernization the Kingdom is witnessing, I can say with confidence that the scene has completely changed, as the Kingdom’s role is no longer limited to serving the guests of God within its religious framework, but rather has gone beyond that to building an integrated experience that blends faith and knowledge, worship and discovery.
From the first moments, you feel that you are facing a new model in management and technology, as the “NSK” platform has contributed to simplifying procedures in a remarkable way. This is what many others have noticed, as the numbers indicate that the platform has registered more than 40 million users in 190 countries in just one year, and more than 130 digital services it provides to facilitate the faith journey from its beginning until returning home.
In fact, what caught my attention most was that this shift was not isolated from the field; The “Mecca Road” initiative completely changed the concept of arriving in the Kingdom. Procedures were now completed before traveling from the country of departure, including electronic visas, pre-registration of vital data, and even luggage being transported directly to the residence. When I arrived at Jeddah Airport this year, I only needed a few minutes to be on the bus heading to the hotel.
It is an uncomplicated journey, but it is not just administrative facilitation; Rather, it is an expression of a new Saudi philosophy that sees serving the guests of God as a civilizational project in itself, a philosophy based on Vision 2030, which made serving the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims an honor and a national responsibility.
In every corner of Mecca and Medina, the visitor feels this transformation. The visit is no longer limited to performing rituals, but rather has become an opportunity to discover the deep history that this blessed land stores.
In Mecca, the visitor is provided with interactive tours to recall the most important historical events, while in Medina, visiting the Holy Rawdah is combined with the pleasure of touring museums of the Prophet’s biography, which display details of the life of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, in a modern visual style that combines art and historical facts.
Besides; There are walking trips in the footsteps of the prophets, and visits to the Islamic monuments at Badr, Uhud, and Quba, carefully designed to connect the present with the past, and open for the visitor a window into the depth and sanctity of the place. Whoever lives the experience will realize that the Kingdom is moving confidently towards a future that will make Mecca and Medina not only destinations for Hajj and Umrah, but also for knowledge, inspiration, and admiration.
It is the new Saudi Arabia, which combined the sanctity of the place with the modernity of time, to give the guests of God an unforgettable experience, befitting the sanctity of the place, the greatness of the message and the generosity of hospitality.
